This invention relates to a design for a front-mounted drive unit consisting of engine and transmission in a motor vehicle, wherein the bottom of the body is designed with a tunnel-shaped axial longitudinal runner or housing into which an end of a drive unit facing the passenger compartment extends and wherein the drive unit is provided with a bearing and support assembly.
In a known support system for a drive unit as disclosed in West German patent application, Ser. No. 25 06 303, consisting of an internal combustion engine with a flange-mounted transmission, the internal combustion engine is mounted on both sides. The flange-mounted transmission projects into an axial tunnel and in its central area is supported at the bottom so that in the aggregate a three-point support is formed for the drive assembly. For settled support characterized by slight movement of the drive unit and greater comfort, the base of the support points should be as large as possible, a feature susceptible of further improvement in this case.
Allowing the drive unit to extend into the axial longitudinal runner in the event of a frontal collision with high collision energy, and thus absorption of collision energy by means of deformation, is also known. Sufficient energy, however, cannot be absorbed with the known design in the event of a collision at very high speed and with very high collision energy.
It often is noted in a violent frontal collision that the driver's head strikes the steering wheel despite the fact that the driver is wearing his safety restraining belt. This is caused by violent forward displacement of the upper body and head of the driver or additionally by the fact that in a frontal collision, the steering wheel is displaced into the passenger compartment by the steering column.
In addition, safety belts with conventional automatic devices are locked in their unwinding mechanism only after travelling a short acceleration path, as a result of which a dangerously violent forward displacement of an additional passenger as well as of the driver can occur. A substantial improvement in this problem is achieved by means of a safety appliance as disclosed in West German patent application, Ser. No. 16 55 597 known as the PROCON-TEN system. In the case of this safety device both the steering wheel and the safety belt mechanism are connected by cables that are connected by way of a guide device to the drive unit or a "cable grab" on the drive unit. If the drive unit is displaced rearwardly toward the passenger compartment in a violent frontal collision, the steering wheel is deflected from the potential head impact area in the direction of the dashboard and the safety belt is simultaneously tightened. To obtain a suitable installation for the cable guide, the cable grab is situated a relatively great distance toward the passenger compartment on the transmission. Considering the large number of vehicle models and the option of selecting different drive assemblies and internal combustion engine and transmission versions, it is apparent that the cable grab over which the cables fastened to them is mounted in different places in different vehicle models. Accordingly, different cable lengths, with the attendant disadvantages of higher production costs, higher mounting support costs, etc., are required for different vehicle versions.
It accordingly is the principal object of the invention to further develop a design of a front-mounted drive unit in such a manner that a bearing and support means suitable for multiple applications is available on the drive unit.